We Finally Made It!

Yes, my entire family finally made it into Independence Hall in Philadelphia!

We have been down to the Independence National Historical Park and surrounding area many, many times since we've lived here...we've visited the National Constitution Center, the Liberty Bell, Christ's Church cemetery (I have a thing for old cemeteries)...and we've walked by Independence Hall many a times...but we had never actually been inside. 

We saw this mural in progress earlier in the year.  It is inside the Independence Hall National Historical Park Visitor Center...it was nice to see it finished :)

Independence Hall, Philadelphia...just getting a little touch up~  Here's an interesting tidbit...this is the view from the plaza area by the Liberty Bell...but this is actually the back of the building.  The front of Independence Hall faces a small park called Washington Square.

As we realized our time in this area was drawing short, we decided that making it into Independence Hall was a must.  We also wanted to tour the U.S. Mint, which is right next to the plaza.  So, a field trip was planned.

We toured the Mint first.  Hmmm...Steve and I were not super impressed.  The museum/info part of the tour is not very well done.  We read that they intend to re-do the exhibit next year and update it a bit...yes, updating would be good.  The part we did enjoy was watching coins being made...it really was interesting.  The girls were amazed at the sheer quantity of quarters, nickels, dimes, and pennies we saw...and how pretty and shiny they all were...to them, seeing the big containers filled with shiny coins was like looking at pirate treasure :)

For security purposes, they do not allow pictures to be taken inside the mint, so this is all I have~

Then we were off to Independence Hall for our tour...yes, this experience was quite an improvement over our Mint tour :)  Wow!  It's hard to put into words what it was like to be there...in the room where our Founding Fathers debated liberty and independence...in the room where our Constitution was signed.  You can feel the history around you.  I was in awe and I am so very thankful that we got to see it~

The Assembly Room at Independence Hall~

Very little of the room is original...it has been accurately restored though...the colors, the furniture, etc.  The British burned most of the chairs and furniture in Independence Hall when they occupied Philadelphia (they burned a lot of things), so most of what we saw are replicas.  The one chair that is original, though, is this one...

"I have often looked at that behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now I... know that it is a rising...sun."  Benjamin Franklin, commenting on this chair, which George Washington sat in for almost three months during the Federal Convention.

...it is the famous Rising Sun chair.  We have studied this period of history in our home school, so the girls were familiar with the story of this chair...we've read about it and have seen pictures of it...now we got to see the real thing...wow!  They were impressed and I loved watching them make connections to what we've learned and what we were seeing.

Here are some more pictures from Independence Hall.  Not only is the building drenched in history, but it is also so architecturally beautiful~

I have a thing for chandeliers too...this one is historically accurate to the time, but not the original...isn't it beautiful~

Beautiful architecture~

This is the courtroom inside Independence Hall...it was an act of treason when the King's Coat of Arms behind the judges stand was replaced.

The Supreme Court Room~

Then we hopped next door to the Congress Building, where George Washington was inaugurated and John Adams after him...again, just wow!  

Even the ceilings are beautiful~

We checked out the excavated exhibit of George Washington's presidential home...remember, the federal city (Washington DC) was under construction, including the President's House, which didn't become known as The White House until 1901.  The excavation of Washington's Philadelphia residence was in process while we lived here...now the exhibit is done and open to the public.  The design is built to show where doors, windows, and chimneys were and half walls reveal the layout of the main floor.  I guess we could call the President's House "an open floorplan"...ha, ha...I'm so corny :)

Steve and the girls at the front door of George Washington's house~

Near the back of the main floor, looking towards the front~

Sophia standing on the President's wall~

Both goofy girls had to get inside one of the chimneys~

This is a view into part of the excavated basement~

And then we were off for one last peek at the Liberty Bell.

Here are just a few more pics from our day...

Various items that have been found while excavating the Independence Hall area~

Steve and his other mini-me :)

A very blessed mommy!

It was another great day spent in Philadelphia...wonder what history Dallas has for us to explore~


Rach